http://bible.com/events/23711324

Luke 10:25-37 NIV

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

-One of the most famous stories in history and it begs the question: Why did Jesus choose this story?

-The Greek word for “took pity” is splagchnizomai, meaning to be moved deeply with compassion

-In telling this story, Jesus selected someone from a hated group to demonstrate the expression of love

-The religious leaders wanted to identify with the priest because they were impressive religious people. But they couldn’t because the priest wasn’t the one who acted.

-They wanted to identify with the Levite – the historical carriers of the Covenant. But they couldn’t because the Levite wasn’t the one who acted.

-They HAD to identify with the Samaritan, the hated outsider.

-Would you have the courage to ask God show you who your Samaritans are?

Compassion from a distance isn’t compassion

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:5-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

http://bible.com/events/22341692

1. Intro
   1. Last week Pastor Adrian reminded us that we are “one in Christ”
      1. We are called to be bridge builders. 
         1. To those who don’t necessarily look like us, or act like us.
      2. The call is to Go!
      3. “We are transformed by God to bring hope to others through Christ”
   2. Matthew 28:19
      1. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…”
   3. The reality of most of us is that most of us won’t go anywhere, we will remain right here, or in our normal day-to-day lives.
2. “And love your neighbor as yourself”
   1. Old Testament
      1. Deuteronomy 6:4-5 
      2. Leviticus 19:18
   2. New Testament 
      1. Matthew 22:37-40
      2. James 2:8
   3. Romans 13:8-10
      1. “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.
3. If it’s that easy, why is it so hard?
   1. It begs the question, why doesn’t the world look any different?
      1. The truth is, our resolve alone cannot bear the burden of the world’s brokenness.  But Christ can.
4. Love God with All…
   1. The good news for us today is that the command to love our neighbor as yourself is the second greatest commandment.  It’s not the first.
   2. Matthew 22:37-40 Jesus speaking 
      1. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
5. What Difference does it make?
   1. A world of difference
   2. God’s love in and through us
      1. Affirms value in others
      2. Causes us to identify with brokenness
      3. Holy Heartbreak
      4. Love moves